


honesty means telling you the truth

by attolians (annber)



Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, no beta we die like men, this is ridiculous and I'm not sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-20
Updated: 2020-03-20
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:27:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23224753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/annber/pseuds/attolians
Summary: written for the prompt : Orrrrrr a story where Buck grows his hair out and Eddie (again) loses his shit because CURLS and the team teases him.
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)
Comments: 30
Kudos: 892





	honesty means telling you the truth

**Author's Note:**

> this is just dumb fluff??? I should already be in bed kbye

“No, Daddy! Like Bucky’s!”

Hesitantly, meeting Christopher’s eyes in the mirror, Eddie lowers the brush he’d been gently working through Christopher’s curls.

“Like Bucky’s?”

“Yeah!” Christopher insists. “Down.”

He jerks his hands in a sideways motion that’s apparently supposed to mimics Buck’s.

“Mijo,” Eddie sighs, “I don’t know how Buck does his hair.”

“Why not?” Christopher demands, as if it’s perfectly reasonable for Eddie to ask his best friend about his grooming habits.

“I’m not sure. You can ask him next time you see him, okay?”

Christopher sighs but immediately pairs it with a soft smile.

“Okay, Daddy.”

“Daddy doesn’t have these luscious curls,” Eddie teases. “Daddy doesn’t know.” He works the brush through Christopher’s hair carefully before putting in a little gel and tousling Christopher’s hair.

Truthfully, he’s not sure he wants to see his tiny son with such an adult, pulled together style. But, if it will make Christopher happy – Eddie is more than willing to adjust.

…

The day ends up being painfully long and Eddie nearly forgets to mention the conversation to Buck.

It’s only when Buck emerges from the shower with his curls still doused and a towel around his shoulders to protect his fresh grey t-shirt that Eddie thinks of it again.

“You know, Chris asked me to do his hair like yours today.”

As expected, Buck’s entire face lights up.

“No way,” he grins, “really?”

“Really,” Eddie confirms. “He said ‘like Bucky’s!’” Eddie does a purposefully silly high pitched voice to imitate his son.

Buck grins so wide his eyes all but disappear.

“He’d look so cute. Then again…he always looks cute.”

Eddie almost puffs up his chest with pride, even though everyone in the station already knows how proud he is of Christopher.

“Chris is so young though,” Buck adds, expression turning soft and thoughtful, “he should just have fun right now.”

Eddie arches a brow.

“So, you don’t have fun anymore?”

Buck scoffs.

“Obviously, I have fun, Eddie. I just gel my hair because helmet hair, duh.”

“What about when you’re not here?”

“I don’t gel my hair when I’m just working out or chilling at home,” Buck says, shrugging. He pulls the towel from his shoulders as he approaches his locker, snapping the towel playfully at Eddie even though they’re not close enough for it to make contact.

“You always gel your hair when I see you,” Eddie points out.

Buck is silent for long enough that Eddie looks back up from buttoning his own shirt.

Is Buck _blushing_? The back of his neck and what Eddie can see of his cheek are tinged pink.

“Just used to it,” Buck mumbles finally.

“You just said you don’t gel it every morning though,” Eddie argues.

He doesn’t know why he isn’t letting it go but…well, he just isn’t.

Buck sighs, half turning to Eddie.

Yeah, he’s definitely blushing.

“It looks better, alright?”

“Awwww,” Eddie coos. “You make sure you look nice for me, Buckley?”

“You know you’re handsome,” Buck says.

His mouth does a funny little thing around the word _handsome_ , as if he’d been about to say something else.

“Do I make you feel insecure?” Eddie asks, frowning now.

Buck groans in response.

“No, you don’t. Okay? Just. Let’s talk about something else.”

Eddie finishes his shirt, letting Buck think he’s going to let it go. Then, he crosses to his best friend and busts out his signature move.

His hand meets the juncture between Buck’s neck and shoulder. He presses just hard enough to convey his sincerity.

“You can tell me, Buck.”

Buck sighs and rolls his eyes quickly before meeting Eddie’s gaze again.

“My parents got me started doing it when I was young. So, it’s pretty much ingrained in me now.”

Eddie has to run his tongue over his teeth to keep himself from saying something rash.

“Well,” he settles on, “if you ever decide to let your curls down – you’ll match Christopher.”

It’s enough to ease a smile back over Buck’s lips and Eddie counts it as a win.

…

**_> > so Friday night.._ **

Eddie frowns at his phone screen.

Is he forgetting plans?

**_Friday night? <<_ **

**_> > I could come over_ **

Buck supplies immediately.

**_> > spend the night and help Chris do his hair in the morning_ **

Eddie smiles at the thought immediately.

**_sounds great <<_ **

He’s _definitely_ gonna have to take pictures.

…

The week drags its feet all the way into Friday afternoon, enough that Eddie feels like he’s going to go crazy with it.

Everything is more than ready for Buck to come over. It’s _too_ clean, actually.

For all the shit Eddie gave Buck about trying to look good for him – he’s certainly trying to look good for Buck now.

_Dios mío,_ Eddie thinks.

It’s a good thing his best friend can be oblivious sometimes.

If only Buck knew…

But it wouldn’t be a good idea to think about that now.

Buck won’t be here in the next five minutes but he will be here soon. Not to mention, Eddie can’t sneak off when he gets here either.

So, nope. Eddie will not be thinking about what Buck looks like fresh out of the shower. He won’t be thinking about Buck growing his hair out so it would be long enough to hold onto. No – he certainly _won’t_ be thinking about that.

Eddie takes a deep breath and thinks about getting a glass of ice water to drink.

_Yup, think about ice, Eddie. Just think about ice._

Eddie’s will is tested increasingly as the night progresses.

First of all – they have popcorn with extra butter. This has Buck constantly touching his lips and leaving shiny smears of butter along the pink curves.

Then, of course, he’s wrapping those same lips around the neck of his beer bottle to drink from it.

And (worst of all?) when they watch _Air Bud_ Buck cries. He tries to hide it but he’s biting at those damn lips and making these awful snuffling sounds that make Eddie want to duck and cover his way right out of the room.

Finally, Eddie has to smack the side of his arm where it’s lying across the back of the couch.

Luckily, Christopher remains oblivious between them.

_What the hell?_ Eddie demands with his eyes.

On screen the golden retriever is eating pudding excitedly.

Judging by the tilt of Christopher’s head he’s concerned but he’s certainly not as affected as Buck.

But Buck just squints at Eddie before hunching his shoulders and crossing his arms.

Eddie doesn’t miss the way Buck’s hand keeps sneaking up to the corners of his eyes for the next several minutes.

Eddie doesn’t check on Buck verbally until the movie is over.

“You good?”

There – that’s safe. He could just be asking if Buck is too tired. Right? Right.

Buck shoots him a smile that Eddie examines for a long moment before allowing himself to relax.

“Fine, Eds. You good?”

Eddie nods in confirmation and Buck immediately leans down to Chris.

“And what about you, Superman? You good?”

“I’m good, Bucky,” Christopher says, only half yawning.

“Good.”

Buck looks to Eddie again, cheeks darkening when he sees Eddie still watching him.

For a split second, it sends a sliver of unease through Eddie.

_Does_ Buck know?

He can’t.

Right?

Christopher only makes it through half the next movie before dropping off and Eddie carries him to bed before helping Buck clean up.

He makes sure Buck’s set up in the guest room before making his way to his own bed.

He may or may not sigh wistfully to himself on the way there and once he’s settled in.

…

When Eddie makes his way to the coffeemaker the following morning he sees there’s already coffee brewed.

As he makes himself a cup, he listens to giggles coming from the bathroom.

By the time he walks back down the hallway there’s a smile on his face.

Buck and Christopher are side by side in the mirror, Christopher grinning into the mirror as Buck touches up the sides of his perfectly gelled hair.

Buck’s hair is still surprisingly gel free and damp from a shower. He must have been up even earlier than Christopher.

“Okay,” Buck says, “now for the finishing touch.”

He helps Christopher put his glasses back on, fingertips light against Christopher’s head.

“I look like you, Bucky!”

“You do,” Buck agrees, grinning right back at the boy. “And I look like you!”

_Fuck,_ Eddie thinks vaguely.

Buck is going to be the death of him. Sooner rather than later it looks like.

“Mijo, you look so old!” Eddie teases. “When are you moving out?”

Christopher giggles.

“Never, Daddy!”

“Good.”

Eddie squeezes into the bathroom and sets his mug on the counter so he can pick Christopher up.

“I love you, Son.” 

“I love you too. And Bucky.”

Christopher wraps both arms around Eddie’s neck even as he says it, so Eddie’s not too bothered.

Eddie deposits Christopher at the table in the kitchen, a relieved smile fitting itself to his lips as he sees Buck brought his coffee out behind them.

“Thank you,” he says, accepting the mug. “Your curls are adorable, Buckley.”

Predictable, by now, Buck blushes in response.

“Well, they’re not all smooshed from my helmet or my pillow. So…they look alright.”

Eddie’s not sure he’s allowed. But he’s also not sure he’ll ever have the chance again.

Disguising his nerves by taking a sip of coffee, he reaches out with his left hand to run his fingers through Buck’s curls.

There’s more hair than Eddie expected and his fingers curl without his permission.

Before he realizes it he’s got a handful of Buck’s hair and a mouthful of coffee. Eddie’s brain is painfully unable to determine what to do with either.

_Slowly,_ his brain starts to crank into action again.

He lowers the mug in his right hand and carefully swallows the hot coffee. Then, he forces himself to release Buck’s hair.

“I, uh, didn’t know your hair was so long.”

“Yeah,” Buck says, “curls are, uh, deceptive. I should get it trimmed, actually.”

“Don’t.”

_Fuck. You were almost out of the woods, Diaz._

“Um,” Buck half smiles. “Why not?”

“It…looks good,” Eddie says lamely.

“Does it feel good?”

“I…”

“You?” Buck prompts.

“Should make breakfast.”

“Okay,” Buck agrees, letting him off the hook.

Eddie has a feeling it has a lot more to do with Christopher sitting at the table than anything else.

…

The locker room is empty when Eddie arrives for the next shift and he changes perfunctorily.

He doesn’t see Buck until he gets upstairs and he very nearly stops in his tracks.

Buck’s hair is defined with gel but not brushed in any specific direction.

He looks amazing.

More than that though, what’s got Eddie’s stomach curling in on itself, is that Eddie knows it’s for _him_.

Buck has a smile that looks like it’s just for Eddie as he approaches.

Eddie can’t help but think that yeah, that smile probably is just for him.

“Hey,” Buck says.

“Hey,” Eddie returns.

He has literally no idea who is upstairs with them. He hasn’t looked yet and doesn’t much care.

“Your hair looks nice.”

“Thanks.”

Buck blinks twice rapidly.

“I thought maybe if I did something for you, you’d do something for me?”

Even though he feels breathless, Eddie forces himself to respond;

“Yeah?”

“You could ask me on a date,” Buck suggests.

“Is that something you want?” Eddie can’t help but ask.

“Don’t you already know?” Buck demands after huffing out a laugh.

Eddie tucks his hands in his pockets and lifts both shoulders in a shrug.

“Chim, _Chim_ ,” Hen is whisper shouting, “get up here, it’s happening. It’s _happening!_ ”

Buck and Eddie both ignore her.

“Yes, Eddie, I would like to go out with you. Now, will you actually ask me out?”

“Can we grab some dinner next time we’re not both here?”

“Yeah. Can Chris come for the first part?”

_He’s gonna be the death of me._

“Yeah,” Eddie agrees faintly. “He can.”

For the _first part_.

_Still, might not be a bad way to go…_

**Author's Note:**

> cross posted on [ tumblr ](https://rnercutieo.tumblr.com/) come say hi or prompt me


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